Game apparatus



June 12, 1956 G. F. WALES GAME APPARATUS Filed Nov. 14, 1952 United States Patent GAME APPARATUS George F. Wales, Kenmore, N. Y. Application November 14, 1952, Serial No. 320,496

7 Claims. (Cl. 273134) The present invention relates to games and more particularly to a game that may be played by one or more players on a board by movement of gamepieces from one square to another of the board. In a more specific aspect the invention relates to a game imitative of the operation on a cattle ranch of cutting out and corralling steers at roundup time.

The basic purpose of the present invention is to provide a game that may be played by one or more players, with gamepieces on a game board whose playing surface is marked with squares, and that will present certain aspects of chance but will at the same time provide opportunity for exercise of the astuteness and intelligence of the players.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide a game of the character described which will be more entertaining and more attention-holding than known games of this type.

Another object of this invention is to provide a game of the character described in which the game board used has its playing surface marked with some squares on which the gamepieces are placed in the beginning of the game and with other squares which constitute goals to which the gamepieces are to be moved to attain the object of the game, and in which the players use a common central starting area for their gamepieces but have separate goals towards which the game pieces are moved.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game of the character described in which the central starting positions of the gamepieces of the several players are determined by chance as, for instance, by use of a deck of cards or by mixing the playing pieces face downward then drawing them.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a game of the character described in which the gamepieces may he moved on the board either from one space to any adjacent space or by jumping as opportunity or judgment dictates during play of the game.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent hereinafter from the description, when read in conjunction with the drawing, and from the recital of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a gameboard constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the'movable gamepieces used in playing the game; and

Fig. 3 is a view of one of the playing cards which may be used in determining the initial positions of the gamepieces.

My novel game is played on a board designated generally at 2%) which is provided on its playing surface with a plurality of small numbered squares 21. In the embodiment of the invention shown there are eighty such squares, but it will be obvious that the number of the squares and their location may be varied.

At each corner of the board there is an area constituting a players corral.

These corral areas are designated Patented June 12, 1956 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, respectively. Each corral comprises, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, nine squares numbered from 1 to 9 inclusive. The squares of the same corral are all of the same color or all have designating numerals of the same color, but the corrals of the different players have diiferent colors or are designated by numerals of different colors.

Each player is provided with nine playpieces, similar to the playpiece 25 shown in Fig. 2. The nine playpieces of each player are numbered consecutively 1 to 9; and the playpieces of each player are all of the same color as the color denoting that players corral or bear designating numerals which are of the same color as the color denoting the players corral. Each playpiece represents a steer to be rounded up; and nine of them make up a herd. 1

In setting up the gameboard for the preferred version of my game, each player places his nine playpieces on the nine squares of his corral 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, as the case may be, matching the number of each of his playpieces to the number of each of the squares of his corral, that is, at the very start of the game each player puts his No. 1 playpiece on the No. 1 square of his corral, his No. 2 playpiece on the No. 2 square of his corral, etc.

Disposed centrally of the playing board are thirty-six squares constituting a round-up area 3%. This round up area comprises four groups of nine squares each. These groups are designated 32a, 32b, 32c, and 32d, respectively. The nine squares in each group are numbered 1 to 9 inclusive. The several groups are colored to correspond, respectively, to the colors of the several corrals 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, or the designating numerals of the several groups are of colors corresponding, respectively, to the colors of the designating numerals of the several corrals. Preferably, as illustrated, each group 32a, 32b, 320, or 32a of round-up squares is adjacent a correspondingly colored corral 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, respectively.

Between each round-up area group of squares 32a, 32b, 320 or 32d and the adjacent corral 22a, 22b, 22.0 or 22d, as the case may be, however, there are two squares numbered 10. The two squares 16 between any one round-up area group and one corral adjoin on one side the No, 1 square of that corral and adjoin on another side the No. 9 square of that round-up group. The squares 10 constitute entrances or gateways to the corrals.

As already indicated, when the gameboard is set-up, the nine gamepieces (steers) 25 of each player are placed in consecutive, correspondingly-numbered positions on the nine numbered squares of the players corral. The object of the game, however, is to get the gamepieces (steers) from the round-up area into the corral; and the player, who first gets his steers from the round-up area into the corral, wins the game. To start the game, it is required to take the gamepieces from the several corrals and put them into the round-up area. For better understanding of the game We shall assume that the round-up area 32a is green corresponding to the designating color of corral 22a, and that the round-up areas 32b, 32c, 32d are, respectively, red, blue, and yellow areas, respectively, like the designating colors of corrals 22b, 22c, 22d.

The placing of the gamepieces in the round-up area is done by chance. For this purpose I preferably use a deck of thirty-six cards comprising four suits of nine cards each, numbered, respectively, 1 to 9, the four suits corresponding in color, respectively, to the designating colors of the four corrals, 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d.

The game will be explained first assuming that there are four players.

After the gameboard is set up, one of the players shufiles and deals out the cards, nine to each player. Each player then arranges the cards in his hand with the cards of his own suit or color first, followed by the other suits or colors in clockwise fashion corresponding to the clockwise arrangement on the gameboard of the differently colored corrals, the cards of each suit being arranged in numerical order with the lowest number first. The numerals on the cards represent the squares inthe central round-up area 30 of the gameboard. The dealer or player, who is entitled to play first, then plays the lowest numbered card of his suit, or, if he has no card corresponding in color to the designating color of his corral, then he plays the lowest numbered card of the suit corresponding in color to the designating color of the corral which is next to his, clockwise of the game board. He then takes his No. 1 gamepiece or steer from his corral and places it in the round-up area 30 on the square denoted by the card that he has played for instance, if the designating color of his corral is green and the lowest card of green color that he has in his hand bears the numeral 3, then the player takes his No. 1 gamepiece or steer from his corral and places it on the No. 3 square in the green round-up area 320. If the player has no green card he plays the lowest card of the color corresponding to the designating color of the next corral clockwise about the board which is area 22b and is red. Let us assume that this card is a 6. He would, therefore, take his No. 1 steer or gamepiece and place it on the 6 square of round-up area 32b.

Each of the other players then successively plays one of his cards and puts his No. 1 gamepiece or steer on the round-up square designated by that card. Then the first player plays his second card, and places his No. 2 gamepiece or steer on the square designated by that card. Then the other players play successively their second cards and locate their gamepieces as these cards designate. So the play of the cards goes until all the players have played all their cards and placed all their gamepieces or steers in the round-up area 30.

Instead of using playing cards as a means of determining the placing of the steers in the round-up area, all of the steers may be placed face down in the center of the board and mixed. Then each player draws nine steers from the center and places them consecutively on the squares in his own round-up area, starting with No. 1 square, after which the gamepieces are turned face up on their chance location.

The gamepieces or cattle are all now in the central round-up area 30 of the board. In other words, they are rounded up but are all mixed together as in a regular cattle round-up. The pieces are now in position on the board ready for start of the play. Because the positions of the several gamepieces are dependent upon the deal of the cards, or the mixing and drawing of the gamepieces, an infinite variety of steer or gamepiece placement is possible. Hence, it will be seen then that an almost infinite number of starting positions is possible; and every game is in effect different. This adds to the interest and attractiveness of the game.

With the cattle all in the round-up area 30, each player first pays his opponents for grazing rights for the gamepieces in the opponents roundup area, after which play can begin. Now each player endeavors to cut out of area 30 his own gamepieces or steers and get them into his own corral. The rules of play may have many vari ations. A preferred method of play will, however, now be described.

In the original deal of the cards, a card may be designated a play-first card, or alternately, a special play-first card may be provided to designate the player who is to play first, or some other conventional or suitable mutually-satisfactory method may be used to determine the player who is to play first. The player, who has the right to first play, makes the first move. He may move any of his steers from one square to an adjacent square providing the adjacent square is vacant, or he may jump any one of his steers from one square to the next square q ,750,193 7 v i q I p but one, as in checkers, providing that square is vacant, and in jumping he may jump in any direction either vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. Since the roundup area 30 is full of game pieces, the only move he can make initially is into a No. 10 square. He cannot, however, move or jump into any No. 10 squares except those leading into his own corral. If he cannot move, he must pass and the next player clockwise, that is, to the left moves. Since there are but eleven squares available to a player in the round-up section adjacent his own corral and but nine squares available to him in any of the other three round-up sections, it will be seen that possible moves may be extremely limited, or even nonexistent for a single player at the start of the game. As the game proceeds, however, the round-up area will be opened up, and after a few moves have been made by the players, numerous moves will be available to each player for moving or jumping his steers. A player may move or jump a steer forward or backward. A steer may move one square at a time in any direction to any unoccupied adjacent square. A steer may jump any steer including his own; and he can continue to jump as long as there are vacant squares to which to jump. A continuous move may include jumps which are forward, backward, and diagonal. It is sometimes possible in a single move to bring a steer from a far corner of the round-up area all the way into a players coral and onto the steers own square therein. A player may stop jumping anywhere in a possible play, however, if he desires, without completing all possible jumps, in order to block an opponent.

The object is for each player to cut out of the roundup area all his own steers and get them back into his own corral, each steer on its own square by number. The first player to do so wins the game.

Various ways of scoring may be employed. One method is for the winner to score, for each steer of his opponent not on its own corral square, the sum of the numeral on that steer plus the number of the square on which it is caught. For instance, if an opponents No. 8 steer is left on a No. 10 square in the opponents own roundup section of the board, the winner scores 18 for this particular steer. If a No. 5 steer is left on square No. 4 in the opponents roundup section of the board, the winner scores 9. If any steer is left by an opponent in any of the three sections of the round-up area not his own, then the points scored by the winner for that particular steer are the number of the steer plus 20. Settlement of the score may be made in any suitable manner; for instance, make-believe money which is supplied with the game and which as noted is used also to pay for grazing rights.

When two or three players play, two hands of cards in one case, and three hands, in the other case may be dealt. The cards dealt to the three players then determine the starting positions of the steers of the two or three players, as the case may be, in the round-up area. Otherwise the game may be played as above.

Obviously the gamepieces may be used to represent other things than steers and various games may be played based upon the principles of the present invention. While the invention has been described in connection with a specific embodiment, then, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth and as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A game apparatus comprising a gameboard having a central area divided into spaces, and a plurality of corner areas disposed wholly outside said central area and divided into equal numbers of spaces, the number of spaces in said central area at least equaling the number of spaces in said plurality of corner areas, the spaces in said corner areas bearing indicia and being consecutively numbered, the spaces of each corner area bearing the same indicia but the spaces of different corner areas bearing different indicia, said central area being divided into a plurality of sections equal in number to the number of corner areas, the spaces of each section of the central area being consecutively numbered in correspondence to the numbering of the spaces of the corner areas, the spaces of the central area bearing indicia, the indicia borne by the spaces of the different sections of the central area being the same as, respectively, the indicia borne by the spaces of the different corner areas, and a plurality of gamepieces divided into sets, the number of gamepieces in a set equaling the number of spaces in a corner area, the gamepieces in each set being consecutively numbered in correspondence with the numbering of the spaces of the corner areas, all the gamepieces of a set bearing the same indicia but the gamepieces of different sets bearing different indicia the same, respectively, as the indicia borne by the different corner areas of the gameboard.

2. A game apparatus comprising a gameboard having a generally square central area divided into a plurality of spaces, a plurality of generally square corner areas disposed Wholly outside said central area and divided into equal numbers of spaces, and a plurality of separate connecting spaces connecting said central area with each of said corner areas, the number of spaces in said central area equaling the total number of spaces in said plurality of corner areas, the spaces in said corner areas bearing indicia, the spaces of each corner area bearing the same indicia but the spaces of different corner areas bearing different indicia, said central area being divided into a plurality of generally square sections equal in number to the number of corner areas, the spaces of the central area bearing indicia, the indicia borne by the spaces of the different sections of the central area being the same, respectively, as the indicia borne by the spaces of the different corner areas, and a plurality of gamepieces divided into sets, all the gamepieces of a set hearing the same indicia but the gamepieces of different sets bearing different indicia the same, respectively, as the indicia borne by the different areas of the gameboard.

3. A game apparatus comprising a gameboard having a generally square central area divided into a plurality of spaces, a plurality of generally square corner areas disposed wholly outside said central area and divided into equal numbers of spaces, and a plurality of separate connecting spaces connecting said central area With each of said corner areas, the number of spaces in said central area equaling the total number of spaces in said plurality of corner areas, the spaces in said corner areas bearing indicia and being consecutively numbered, the spaces of each corner area bearing the same indicia but the spaces of different corner areas bearing different indicia, said central area being divided into a plurality of equal, generally square sections equal in number to the number of corner areas, the spaces of each section of the central area being consecutively numbered in correspondence to the numbering of the spaces of the corner areas, the spaces of the central area bearing indicia, the indicia borne by the spaces of the different sections of the central area being the same, respectively, as the indicia borne by the spaces of the different corner areas, and a plurality of gamepieces divided into sets and movable on said gameboard from one space to an adjacent space and by jumping, the number of gamepieces in a set equaling the number of spaces in a corner area, the gamepieces in each set being consecutively numbered in correspondence with the numbering of the spaces of the corner areas, all the gamepieces of a set bearing the same indicia but the gamepieces of different sets bearing different indicia the same as, respectively, the indicia borne by the spaces of the difierent corner areas of the gameboard.

4. A game apparatus comprising a gameboard having a generally square central area divided into a plurality of spaces, a plurality of generally square corner areas disposed wholly outside said central area at the corners thereof and divided into equal numbers of spaces, and a plurality of separate spaces connecting said central area with said corner areas, there being two connecting spaces for each corner area, the two connecting spaces of each corner area being disposed to adjoin, respectively, different sides of the corner area and different sides of the central area, the number of spaces in said central area equaling the total number of spaces in said plurality of corner areas, the spaces in each corner area bearing indicia and being consecutively numbered, the spaces of each corner area bearing the same indicia but the spaces of different corner areas bearing different indicia, said central area being divided into a plurality of equal, generally square sections equal in number to the number of corner areas, the spaces of each section of the central area being consecutively numbered in correspondence to the numbering of the spaces of the corner areas, the spaces of the central area bearing indicia but the spaces of the different sections of the central area bearing different indicia the same as, respectively, the indicia borne by the spaces of the different corner areas, and a plurality of gamepieces divided into sets and movable on said game board from one space to an adjacent space and by jumping, the number of gamepieces in a set equaling the number of spaces in a corner area, the gamepieces in each set being consecutively numbered in correspondence with the numbering of the spaces of the corner areas, all the gamepieces of a set bearing the same indicia but the gamepieces of different sets bearing different indicia the same as, respectively, the indicia borne by the spaces of the different corner areas of the gameboard.

5. A game apparatus comprising a gameboard having a central area divided into spaces, a plurality of corner areas Wholly outside said central area and divided into equal numbers of spaces, and separate spaces connecting each corner area with said central area, the number of spaces in said central area equaling the total number of spaces in said plurality of corner areas, the spaces in said corner areas bearing indicia, the spaces of each corner area bearing the same indicia but the spaces at different corner areas bearing different indicia, said central area being divided into a plurality of sections equal in number to the number of corner areas, the spaces of the central area bearing indicia, the indicia borne by the spaces of the different sections of the central area being the same, respectively, as the indicia borne by the spaces of the different corner areas, a plurality of gamepieces divided into sets, all the gamepieces of a set bearing the same indicia but the gamepieces of different sets bearing different indicia the same as, respectively, the indicia borne by the spaces of the different corner areas of the gameboard, and chance means for determining which gamepieces are to be placed on which spaces of the central area for start of a game.

6. A game apparatus comprising a gameboard having a central area divided into spaces, a plurality of corner areas disposed wholly outside said central area and divided into equal numbers of spaces, and separate spaces connecting said corner areas with said central area, the number of spaces in said central area equaling the total number of spaces in said plurality of corner areas, the spaces in said corner areas bearing indicia, the spaces of each corner area bearing the same indicia but the spaces of different corner areas bearing different indicia, said central area being divided into a plurality of sections equal in number to the number of corner areas, the spaces of the central area bearing indicia, the indicia borne by the spaces of the different sections of the central area being the same as, respectively, the indicia borne by the spaces of the different corner areas, a plurality ofgamepieces divided into sets, all the gamepieces of a set bearing the same indicia but the gamepieces of different sets bearing different indicia the same as, respectively, the indicia borne by the spaces of the different corner areas of the gameboard, and a pack of cards for determining which gamepieces are to be placed on which spaces of the central area for start of a game, said pack of cards being composed of as many suits as there are corner areas in the gameboard, and each suit comprising as many cards as there are spaces in a corner area, the cards of the different suits bearing different indicia the same as, respectively, the different indicia of the spaces of the different corner areas.

7. A game apparatus comprising a gameboard having a central area divided into a plurality of spaces, a plurality of corner areas disposed outside said central area and divided into equal numbers of spaces, and a plurality of separate spaces connecting said central area with said corner areas, the spaces in each corner area bearing indicia and being consecutively numbered, the spaces of each corner area bearing the same indicia but the spaces of different corner areas bearing different indicia, said central area being divided into a plurality of equal sections equal in number to the number of corner areas, the spaces of each section of the central area being consecutively numbered in correspondence to the numbering of the spaces of the corner areas, the spaces of the central area bearing indicia but the spaces of the difierent sections of the central area bearing different indicia the same as, respectively, the indicia borne by the spaces of the different corner areas, a plurality of gamepieces divided into sets and movable on said gameboard from onespace to an adjacent space and, by jumping, the number of gamepieces in a set equaling the number of spaces in a corner area, the gamepieces in each set being consecutively numbered in correspondence with the numbering of the spaces of the corner areas, all the gamepieces of a set bearing the same indicia but the gamepieces of different sets bearing different indicia the same as, respectively, the indicia borne by the spaces of the different corner areas of the gameboard, and a pack of cards for determining which gamepieces are to be placed on which spaces of the central area for start of a game, said pack of cards being composed of as many suits as thereare corner areas in the gameboard, and each suit comprising as many cards as there are spaces in a corner area, the cards of the different suits being consecutively numbered in correspondence to the spaces of the corner areas and bearing different indicia the same as, respectively, the different indicia of the spaces of the different corner areas.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 511,773 Higgins Jan. 2, 1894 817,142 Fisher Apr. 3, 1906 1,207,466 Baines Dec. 5, 1916 1,474,504 Allen Nov. 20, 1923 1,555,937 Billrnan Oct. 6, 1925 1,564,746 Barnard Dec. 8, 1925 2,453,907 Hare Nov. 16, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 228,614 Great Britain Feb. 6, 1925 

